


Two Lovers, Divide

by blanchtt



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 04:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11176692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blanchtt/pseuds/blanchtt
Summary: They slip off the island, she and Charlotte and Sarah, all of them tired and bruised and paranoid. The night is inky-black (the better to not be seen, Sarah had explained, before throwing all their phones in the ocean and kicking the boat away from the dock) and Cosima squints against the darkness even though it doesn’t make a difference.





	Two Lovers, Divide

 

 

 

 

 

They slip off the island, she and Charlotte and Sarah, all of them tired and bruised and paranoid. The night is inky-black (the better to not be seen, Sarah had explained, before throwing all their phones into the water and kicking the boat away from the dock) and Cosima squints against the darkness even though it doesn’t make a difference.

 

Charlotte is unsurprisingly knowledgeable about the natural world, and Sarah guides their boat by the stars she points out to them.

 

Charlotte also holds Cosima’s hand the whole rocky boat ride back which is not, Cosima knows as Charlotte squeezes her fingers reassuringly, for Charlotte’s benefit, but for hers.

 

 

-

 

 

Because there can be no peace, there’s an unopened email in her inbox when they get back to the safehouse. It’s forwarded days ago from Felix from an unknown source, though the terse message lets her know it’s courtesy of Cal.

 

Marion Bowles is dead. She could have guessed as much, but to have it confirmed makes Cosima’s heart hurt even though she thought it couldn’t possibly hurt any more.

 

 

-

 

 

Cure found and battles taken on by others, she eases back into life, makes herself useful by making sure Charlotte’s safe, comfortable, and wanted. Siobhan and Sarah help with that a little, having had experience in raising children, but leave it largely to her – idle hands, etcetera, etcetera, Cosima guesses.

 

There is the familiar sound of Charlotte walking over, and Cosima turns from her place at the kitchen table, takes a sip of the tea Mrs. S is so fond of making for her, and watches as Charlotte sets a textbook, a sheet of paper, and a pen down neatly on the table before taking a seat next to her.

 

“Can you help me with my homework?” she asks, and Cosima nods, reaches out and tilts the textbook closer to herself.

 

“Whatcha got there, kiddo?”

 

But maybe it’s because she’s the one Charlotte seeks out, sits next to, talks to. And talking is good.

 

 

-

 

 

“You know that lady we saw, when we first got to the island?” she starts. “The one in the tent?”

 

Charlotte nods, and Cosima tries to think of an example, thoughts skipping like a record needle to each person in their lives that they know – Mrs. S, Felix, Sarah, Helena – and can come up with no one.

 

And so she goes for the simple truth instead of an example, knows Charlotte’s not only smart enough to understand but kind enough not to care.  

 

 

-

 

 

Getting the news is just as nerve-wracking as it was the first time.

 

Mrs. S, as always, urges caution and has her wait uneasy at home. Her people have helped, which means it’s not as simple as just picking someone up at the airport. Cosima wonders if anything ever will be again.

 

She sits at the counter, and every rumble of a car driving by or shadow of people walking past The Rabbit Hole has her itching to stand up, to run to the window, slip a finger through slatted shutters, and peek outside. But she keeps her mind on the chess game in front of her, a classic that Charlotte had found on some dusty shelf and asked Hellwizard to teach her.

 

It's been several moments of silence, and Cosima points unobtrusively. “If you move your bishop,” she adds in a helpful stage-whisper, and Charlotte watches, seems to put two and two together, and grins, immediately moves her bishop and takes Cosima’s piece.

 

“Like that?”

 

“Perfect.”

 

She’s absorbed as much as she can be when the front door opens with a jingle of that rusty bell and the clack of the shutters swaying, and it’s only when Charlotte looks away from their game that Cosima looks up, finds a weary-looking Delphine staring at her in shock.

 

Of _course_ she'd be here waiting for her, just like Mrs. S told her she'd told Delphine - it's just that they’ve survived so much, though just barely, that Cosima understands, understands perfectly that nothing short of touch, smell, taste, will convince Delphine that this is not a dream.

 

She almost wants to pinch her arm herself, and instead she reaches out, arm around Charlotte’s shoulders, and watches Delphine drop her bag carelessly on the floor as they approach.

 

Before, in the brief moments they had together there were stolen kisses, murmured declarations of love, hands stealing as much touch as possible.

 

The phrase surfaces unconsciously at the image they must make - _Tweedle Small and Tweedle Tall_ – and Cosima lets out a snort that’s as much of a laugh as it is the start of what she knows is very ugly crying.

 

Now, there is Delphine grabbing them both in a hug, pressing a kiss to her temple, before introducing herself to Charlotte.

 

 

-

 

 

There is no way that she can just _go back_ to San Francisco, so far from her sisters and nieces. She has her new job to thank for her residency status, and so they settle not far from the Manning clan.

 

Making and packing lunches for school the next day, washing little clothes in their mix of laundry, and getting Charlotte ready to walk with Kira to school on time every morning, tasks done together, by themselves, is brand new and entirely _unplanned_ and more than a little scary.

 

But on the nights when Felix or Mrs. S watch the kids and Sarah comes over and pours herself a bourbon as she and Delphine open a bottle of wine, Sarah cracks a smile and reassures them that it’s completely normal.

 

 

-

 

 

It is a breath of fresh air long overdue to walk together, Charlotte holding their hands, and take their time.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
